Georg C. F. Greve

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About Georg Greve

Georg Greve is a self-taught software developer with several years
of experience on the job, and traditionally trained Physicist.
Experienced writer with over a hundred published articles in
English and German. Eight years of experience in the coordination
of a multi-national organisation. Over seven years of experience
in international policy at the United Nations, European Commission
and in various countries, with focus on Information Technology
related policy. Several years of experience coordinating
interdisciplinary, international activities, often involving
multiple organisations. Experienced speaker with speeches and
keynotes at conferences and training seminars addressing a wide
variety of audiences, including UNCTAD, the WorldBank and various
training institutes. Strong background and interest in
interdisciplinary policy issues involving technology, law and
society.

Besides serving on the board of Free Software Foundation Europe
and the Open Database Alliance,
Georg Greve is CEO & President of the Board at Kolab Systems AG, home of the Free
Software Kolab Groupware Solution.

Honors and Awards

On 18 December 2009 Georg Greve was awarded the Federal Cross
of Merit on ribbon by the Federal Republic of Germany for his
achievements in Free Software and Open Standards. The ceremony was
held May 2010 in the German embassy in Berne.

Publications

Selection of some publications by Mr Greve during his work at the
Free Software Foundation Europe.

Analysis on balance: Standardisation and Patents (2008-12-02) Following up on the "IPR in ICT Standardisation" Workshop two weeks ago in Brussels, FSFE president Georg Greve analysed the conflicts between patents and standards. The resulting is paper about the most harmful effects of patents on standards, the effectiveness of current remedies, and potential future remedies.

Microsoft, antitrust and innovation (on Groklaw) (2007-09-27)"If one were to believe Microsoft, antitrust law is for sore losers who are too lazy to innovate, and the decision of the European Court of Justice against Microsoft was to the detriment of consumers around the world. One might even believe that any company with large enough market share would now have to fear the wrath of the European Commission and its anti-innovation bloodhounds."

The converter hoax (2007-07-16)FSFE Guest Commentary on Heise.de: "Conversion between Microsoft's Office OpenXML (MS-OOXML) and the vendor-independent Open Document Format (ODF) has been proposed by Microsoft and its associates as a solution to the problems caused by Microsoft's efforts to push a format into the market that conflicts with the existing Open Standard. [...] If these converters were actually able to do what they promise to do, they would be unnecessary."

Novell's "Danaergeschenk" (on Groklaw) (2006-12-08)"With OpenXML, it appears as if there will be interoperability on paper only, but in reality people will experience numerous difficulties unless they use Microsoft Office. Because most users rightly fear and loathe incompatibilities, out of a sense of false security and lack of technological background, they will often choose the dominant product, effectively punishing the competitor for the behaviour of the dominant player."

Sovereign Software - Open Standards, Free Software, and the Internet (2006-10-30)Software issues are issues of power and fundamentally shape the societies we are living in. Even to those who had not followed digital policy issues before this became increasingly evident throughout the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). Two fundamental questions characterise this battlefield: Who controls your data? Who controls your computer?

(2004) Panel discussion at the Wizards of OS 3, Future of the Digital Commons. About the evaluation of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), touching Free Software and its relationship with other Civil Society groups and how Free Software interacts with other Civil Society issues.

(2004) Presentation in the parliament of Uruguay on Free Software, with Spanish subtitles.